Impact of the Great Depression on the Land Tenurial System of Cochin and Travancore

The term tenurial simply denotes a right, or mode of holding or occupying something of value for a period of time. Under feudal system the principal item of holding was land by which a person held land from a superior in exchange for the rendition of service and loyalty to the grantor. The countries like India, land tenurial systems were widely seen constituted major portion of the income of the country. Even before the establishment of the British Rule land revenue was the major source of income of India. In the princely states like Travancore and Cochin the situation was not different. With the advent of the British rule they introduced many reforms in existing land tenurial systems in Travancore and Cochin State in order to foster their colonial interests. The consequences of the Great depression had severe impact upon land tenurial system of the country. This paper examines how the Great economic Depression affected the land tenurial system in Travancore and Cochin which were most powerful princely states in India during that time.